Joseph R. Nolan, Jr.

Joseph R. Nolan, Jr.

Eversource Energy

Joseph R. Nolan, Jr. is President and Chief Executive Officer of Eversource Energy, New England’s largest utility. Eversource serves approximately 4.3 million electric, natural gas and water customers across Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Joe is also a member of Eversource’s Board of Trustees.

Joe joined Eversource in 1985 and served in various customer service and government affairs positions before becoming Vice President of Government Affairs in 1999.  In this role, Joe was instrumental in obtaining support for company policies and positions from the state legislature, federal agencies and the Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Energy. Joe also successfully directed the internal and external communications of electric restructuring and the sale of generating plants. 

He subsequently served as Senior Vice President, Customer & Corporate Relations, then as Executive Vice President, Business Strategy, Customer Care & Corporate Relations. Joe oversaw Eversource’s innovative strategic investments in offshore wind, battery storage, electric vehicles, and other technology. In 2015, Joe also led the company’s comprehensive brand change strategy and three-state rollout, bringing six operating companies together as one customer-facing brand: Eversource.

In addition to his Eversource responsibilities, Joe serves on the Chairman’s Council of Boston Children’s Hospital; on the boards of directors of the New England Council, Sancta Maria Skilled Nursing Facility, the Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund, the Camp Harbor View Foundation and the Long Island Association; and the advisory board of Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation.  Joe is also active in the communications and government relations committees of the Edison Electric Institute and the American Gas Association.

Joe holds a Master of Business Administration from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College, and a bachelor of arts degree in communications from Boston College.  Joe and his wife Therese reside in Belmont, Massachusetts, with their four daughters Olivia, Hannah, Isabelle and Claudia.

Davis Weinstock

Davis Weinstock

Davis Weinstock, former Chairman Emeritus of Mercury Clark & Weinstock, counsels leaders, executives, and complex multinational organizations with respect to strategies relating to positioning and relationships.

His clients have included Harvard Graduate School of Business, Yale University, New York Stock Exchange, Les Bourses, the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, and Federal Trade Commission. The roster of private sector clients includes the Chief Executive Officers of many large corporations, including Microsoft, Renault-Nissan, Kering, Groupe Artemis, Ford Motor, Walt Disney, Gillette, Eli Lilly, Conde’ Nast, Goldman Sachs, Volkswagen Group, Four Seasons, JPMorgan Chase, Harley-Davidson, Ralph Lauren and CBS. Additional work as a writer/producer has comprised numerous series and programs for three national networks and the BBC, three plays presented in New York, two feature films, and articles in national publications.

In volunteer activities, Davis served as Chairman of the Board for Beyond Conflict, a global organization offering a powerful new approach to conflict resolution, reconciliation and positive social change. Davis serves on the boards of Nation Institute, W. E. B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University, PEN America Center, The Flea Theater, and Protect Our Defenders. He also has chaired and served on the boards of Hopkins School, Bank Street College, CORO, Children’s Defense Fund, and New Visions For Public Schools.

Davis Weinstock was educated at Harvard College and London School of Economics. He is married to the writer Elizabeth Hawes. They have three children and live in Martha’s Vineyard and New York City.

 

Melissa Weiner Janfaza

Melissa Weiner Janfaza

Melissa Weiner Janfaza and her husband, Andy, have four children – Rachel, Zachary, Noah, and Rebecca – and reside in Weston, Massachusetts. Before becoming a full-time mom, Melissa was a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) with The New England Home for Little Wanderers, and worked in their group home for children ages eight to thirteen. Melissa has been active as a volunteer with Jewish Family and Children’s Service since 1997.

She is currently chair of their Center for Early Relationship Support Committee. Melissa joined the Board of Directors for the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in 2013, and serves as one of their current campaign co-chairs. Melissa also serves on the Board of Directors for The Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston (2014) and currently serves as a co-chair for their women’s philanthropy group; The Artemis Circle. Melissa holds a bachelor of science degree in psychology and Master of Social Work from Boston University.

Orlando C. Watkins

Orlando C. Watkins

The Boston Foundation

Orlando C. Watkins is Vice President for Program at the Boston Foundation, where he oversees a discretionary grants fund of roughly $16 million and leads a Program Department staff of two dozen people who work across five core grant-making impact areas – Education, Health and Wellness, Jobs and Economic Development, Neighborhoods and Housing, and Arts and Culture – and two cross cutting strategy areas, Nonprofit Effectiveness and Grassroots.

Formerly Executive Vice President at Match Education, Orlando has over 20 years of experience developing and strengthening educational and community-based organizations. Prior to joining Match, Orlando held the position of Senior Director at the Boston Foundation, with responsibility for developing philanthropic partnerships with like-minded foundations and donors who are interested in strengthening communities through data driven, high impact initiatives. Before joining the Boston Foundation, Orlando served as Chief Development Officer for BELL, a leading national education organization. Prior to BELL, he spent several years as Vice President of Programs for the Greater New Orleans Foundation, including the years immediately following Hurricane Katrina.

Orlando’s career has also included significant leadership roles in government and in higher education including a Governor Appointment as Executive Director of the Louisiana Serve Commission.

Orlando started his career as a social entrepreneur in Atlanta, Georgia where he co-founded FreeForm Academy, a private school for young children and served as founding Director of the NASA-funded Inspiring Careers in Engineering Mathematics and Science at Morehouse College. Orlando has served on numerous boards including the Urban League of Greater New Orleans, New Schools for New Orleans, City Year Louisiana, the Institute for the Study of Race and Poverty at Tulane University, the International Center for Nonprofit Leadership at the University of New Orleans, Associated Grant Makers and MATCH Education/Charter Schools. Orlando is a graduate of Morehouse College and a recipient of the prestigious Echoing Green fellowship.

Sam Kennedy

Sam Kennedy

Boston Red Sox

Sam Kennedy is President and CEO of the Boston Red Sox. Sam became President of the Boston Red Sox on October 16, 2015, succeeding President/CEO emeritus Larry Lucchino. As President, Kennedy has oversight over the club and its operations. In addition to his Red Sox role, Kennedy is also President of Fenway Sports Management (FSM).

A native of Brookline, Massachusetts, who grew up within walking distance of Fenway Park, Kennedy joined the Red Sox as Vice President of Corporate Partnerships in 2002. He was among the first wave of executives the current ownership group brought to Boston from the San Diego Padres, where Kennedy had worked the previous six years. Kennedy immediately distinguished himself, playing a key role in the revitalization of the Red Sox brand and the dramatic growth of the team’s financial base through the creation of new revenue streams. Kennedy was also intimately involved in the preservation and transformation of Fenway Park and the transformation of the ballpark experience.

Prior to assuming the role of club President, Kennedy served as Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer from September 2009 to October 2015. While in that post, he oversaw the team’s general business matters including ticketing (sales, operations and service), corporate sponsorship, broadcasting, marketing, social media, advertising, Fenway Enterprises (non-baseball activities at Fenway Park), and all client services.

One of Kennedy’s proudest accomplishments is the wide range of fans that have experienced Fenway Park’s unique charm due to the expansion of entertainment offerings at the ballpark including concerts, ice hockey games, and soccer matches featuring the iconic Liverpool Football Club. The 2015 Winter Season at Fenway Park epitomized the possibilities for the 104 year old ballpark. The “off-season” started in November when Fenway Park played host to the “Shamrock Series,” a college football game between the University of Notre Dame and Boston College and culminated in February with “Big Air,” a ski and snowboarding spectacle featuring a 140-foot ramp that loomed high above the ballpark’s light towers. In between those events, the Winter Season featured four traditional Thanksgiving High School Football games and brought the Irish sport of hurling to Fenway for the first time in over 60 years.

In 2004, Kennedy helped create Fenway Sports Management, formerly Fenway Sports Group, which has emerged as one of the most well respected international sports sales and representation agencies. FSM is one of the portfolio of companies owned by Fenway Sports Group, which includes the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool Football Club (LFC), an 80% stake in the New England Sports Network (NESN) and 50% of Roush Fenway Racing (RFR). As FSM’s President, Kennedy oversees all aspects of the operations featuring a client roster that includes the Red Sox, LFC, NESN, RFR, Boston College, Major League Baseball Advanced Media, the Deutsche Bank Championship, and NBA superstar LeBron James.

Kennedy, who was classmates at Brookline High School with former Red Sox General Manager and current Chicago Cubs President of Baseball Operations Theo Epstein, began his career in baseball in 1993, when he was an intern in the ticket department of the New York Yankees. In 1996, he was hired by his mentor, Larry Lucchino, at the San Diego Padres. As the Padres Executive Director/Corporate Partnerships and Broadcasting, he tripled sponsorship revenues in a six-year span. Kennedy also played an integral role in securing financing and developing the sales and marketing strategy for Petco Park, the Padres’ downtown ballpark.

In October 2007, Kennedy was named one of the Boston Business Journal’s 40 under 40 Award recipients, which recognizes 40 of Boston’s best and brightest young professionals. In 2008, 2010, and 2013, Kennedy was selected as one of Sports Business Journal’s Forty under 40 Award recipients and inducted into the publication’s Hall of Fame. This national honor placed him in the company of the most influential and creative young professionals in the business of sports.

A former captain of the baseball team at Brookline High School and member of the ice hockey team, Kennedy graduated from Trinity College (CT) in 1995. Kennedy currently serves on the board of the Wellesley Youth Hockey Association, The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, and Camp Harbor View. Kennedy also has served as a volunteer hockey coach.

Kennedy and his wife, Amanda, reside in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with their son, Jimmy, and daughter, Ally.

Darren Donovan

Darren Donovan

KPMG

Darren Donovan is the Managing Principal for KPMG’s Boston major market which includes New England and upstate New York. He is responsible for overseeing the delivery of high quality client service, development of marketplace strategy, attracting and retaining talent and promoting diversity and inclusion, and serving as the senior representative of the firm in the marketplace and community.

Darren has over 30 years of experience and has worked for a highly select client base of major financial institutions throughout the U.S. and the world. He serves as Lead Partner for two of KPMG’s largest financial services clients.
Darren is very active in the charitable and civic community and serves on the following Boards of Directors:

Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
Boston Partners in Education
Thayer Academy
Citi Performing Arts Center
Camp Harbor View

Darren received his MBA from the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College (CUNY), and his bachelor’s degree from Suffolk University in Boston.

Bill O’Malley

Bill O’Malley

Income Research + Management

Bill O’Malley is the Chief Executive Officer & Co-Chief Investment Officer of Income Research + Management. Bill joined IR+M in September 1994 and is one of the three Managing Principals. He serves as the Director of the Investment Team and is responsible for investment results and all investment activity. Bill is a member of the Management and Executive Committees and participates in the Product, Best Execution, and Investment Governance Committees.

Prior to IR+M, Bill was a Vice President at Wellington Management Company, LLP. Before joining Wellington in 1989, Bill worked at The Vanguard Group and in Morgan Stanley’s Fixed Income Division.

Bill has a bachelor of arts degree in political science from Amherst College (1984) and an MBA from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (1989).

Bill O'Malley headshot

Fred Seigel

Fred Seigel

Beacon Capital Partners

Fred Seigel is President and Chief Operating Officer of Beacon Capital Partners and is based in Boston. He joined Beacon in 2001. Previously, he was Managing Director of Latona Associates, Inc., a private merchant bank. Prior to that he spent six years as President and Director of Energy Capital Partners, a company he founded that specialized in financing energy projects throughout the US. He is a member of The Real Estate Roundtable, and also serves on the Board of Directors of The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for The United State Senate and the Board of Directors of Camp Harbor View.

Bryan Rafanelli

Bryan Rafanelli

Rafanelli Events

Bryan Rafanelli serves as president and chief creative officer of Rafanelli Events, where he works hand-in-hand with his clients to transform their visions into unforgettable experiences. Known best for his customized approach to every project, Rafanelli marries a unique and exquisite sense of style with careful attention to detail to ensure each event is truly exceptional.

Rafanelli has become synonymous with perfection, making him the go-to event planner for many of the nation’s most exclusive and high profile events and celebrations. Over the past 20 years, Rafanelli Events has produced more than 2,000 events in 50 cities, 23 states, and 9 countries. These range in size from 15 to 15,000 attendees.

Notably, Rafanelli and his team led the concept, design and strategic planning of Chelsea Clinton’s wedding to Marc Mezvinsky in 2010, for Matt Damon and Luciana Barrosso’s vow renewal ceremony in St. Lucia in 2013 (presided over by Jimmy Kimmel), and for the nuptials of Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Justin Mikita in 2013. Most recently, Rafanelli Events planned actress Allison Williams and Ricky Van Veen’s wedding.

Rafanelli’s expertise extends to private events, corporate functions and non-profit fundraisers for high profile clients such as President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House, Arianna Huffington, the Clinton Family, Boston Red Sox, Louis Vuitton, Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Dana-Farber and Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, to name a few.

Focused on presenting each client’s individual brand, Rafanelli has built a business around his personal philosophy — that every event is a unique creative challenge deserving of a one-of-a-kind approach. To achieve this, his focus lies in creating a company with core expertise beyond design and party planning. His team consists of strategic thinkers who listen to, respect and understand some of the most talented people, smartest companies and strongest brands in the world. Rafanelli experiences are truly innovative, delivering clients their version of perfection while providing the highest level of service, personalization and thoughtfulness.

Rafanelli’s work has caught the attention of today’s leading media, highlighting his unique approach, from planning a flawless event to his careful attention to discretion and respect for his clients’ privacy. He was named one of Martha Stewart Weddings’ 2015 Top Wedding planners and one of the World’s Best Event Planners by Departures magazine in 2014. His work has been seen in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, People, New York, and on cbsnews.com, vanityfair.com, newyorker.com and more. Rafanelli has also appeared as an industry expert on television programs including: “The Martha Stewart Show,” ABC’s “Good Morning America”, NBC’s “The Today Show” and as a regular contributor on New England Cable News’ “Morning Show.”

Rafanelli Events was founded in 1996. Today, the company operates as a full-service event design, strategy, planning and production company with more than 100 events annually in venues and cities around the world. Founded in Boston, Rafanelli Events also has offices in New York City and Palm Beach.

Rafanelli’s philanthropic work is as integral to him as his “day job.” He serves on the regional board of the US Fund for UNICEF, on the board of directors of Camp Harbor View, Boys & Girls Club of Boston, and Huntington Theatre and on the Advisory Committee of Mass General Hospital for Children.

Sonja Kelly

Sonja Kelly

Kelly Family Foundation

Sonja Kelly is the Managing Director of the Kelly Family Foundation. Sonja holds a bachelor of arts from Bucknell University and an MBA from the Boston College Carroll School of Management. After a career in consulting and commercial banking, she took time off to raise her three children. She has been the Managing Director of the Kelly Family Foundation since 2011. The Kelly Family Foundation supports organizations which focus on the education and mentoring of young people and giving them the tools to succeed.

Sonja served on the Whittier Street Health Center Foundation Board, with responsibilities including serving on the Annual Roast committee, serving as a member of Women for Whittier and chairing the Board for a year. She currently is on the Boards of Camp Harbor View and Mass Mentoring Partnership, where she is the Membership Chair. She also serves on the Storybook Ball Committee for MassGeneral Hospital for Children.